Cord-supporting device



Dec. 18, 1951 w. AAB

CORD-SUPPORTING DEVICE 2 SI-IEETSSHEET 1 Filed March 27, 1950 B 722;; Akr/zeya Dec. 18, 1951 w. AAB} CORD-SUPPORTING DEVICE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed March 27, 1950 3 kid A/Zar Patented Dec. 18, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CORD-SUPPORTING DEVICE William Aab, New Una, Minn.

Application March 27, 1950, Serial No. 152,085

6 Claims.

the ironing board.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a cord-supporting device as set forth which will effectively support the ironer cord without subjecting the same to appreciable wear.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device to which an ironer cord may be quickly and easily attached and detached.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a cord-supporting device which may be readily folded against the side edge of an ironing board or table for storage.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a cord-supporting device of the above type which is relatively simple and inexpensive to produce, which is efiicient in operation and durable in use.

Otherhighly important objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

' Fig. 1 is afragmentary view in side elevation showing my novel ironer cord-supporting device attached to an ironing board.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in side elevation of someof the parts of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a viewcorresponding to Fig. 2 but showing a diiierent position of some of the parts. Fig. l'is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing a still different position of some of the parts.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in end elevation as seen looking from the left to the right with respect to Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

' Fig. 7 is a View corresponding to Fig. 6 but showing adifierentposition of some of the parts.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation as seen from the line 8-8 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral l indicates a conventional ironing :board having pivotally secured thereto a supporting leg 2. A base member, preferably in the nature of a C-clamp or the like 3 is adapted to engage an edge portion of the ironing board I and be securely held thereto by a' clamping screw or the like 4. Projecting laterally outwardly from one side of base member 3 is a pair'of vertically spaced parallel pins 5 and 6 which are adapted to receive and support a rigid link 1. The link 1 is provided intermediate its ends with a longitudinally extending slot 8 through which the pin 5 projects, and an outwardly opening recess 9 at its lower end portion, which is adapted to receive the pin 6. The pins 5 and 6 are provided with enlarged heads which limit movements of said link 1 in a direction laterally outwardly of the base member 3. With reference to Figs. 2, 3, and 4 it will be seen that the side walls of the slot 8 and the recess 9 are tapered in a manner to provide a close fit therebetween and their cooperating pins 5 and 6. As shown, the link 1 may be raised with respect to the pins 5 and 6 to a point where the pin 6 is entirely disengaged from the recess 9, see particularly Fig. 3. In this position the link 1 may be moved pivotally to its position indicated in Fig. 4, about the axis of the pin 5. It will be noted that one side wall of the recess 9 is defined by a fingerlike extension 1 which pro jects longitudinally outwardly from the adjacent end portion of the link 1.

For the purpose of supporting a portion of an ironer cord, I provide an elongated rodlike arm 1 0 having an enlarged lower end portion I [which is mounted to the upper end of the rigid link 1, for pivotal movements with respect thereto, by a pin or shaft l2. The pin [2 is in spaced parallel relation to the pins 5 and 6 of the base member 3 whereby pivotal movements of the arm iii are in the same plane as the pivotal movements of the link 1 with respect to the base member 3. At its lower end, the portion ll of the arm [0 is laterally offset to provide a short lever arm l3 through which extends a stop pin M. A coil tension spring I 5 has its upper end anchored to the stop pin I 4, and its lower end secured to the free end of the fingerlike projection 1' as indicated at 16. With reference to Figs. 5, 6, and 7 it will be seen that the stop pin I4 extends inwardly beyond the rigid link I and provides a positive stop to limit the extent of swinging movement of the cord-supporting arm I in opposite directions, by engagement with the adjacent side edge of the link I.

With particular reference to Figs. 1, 5, 8, and 9, it will be seen that I have provided novel means for detachably securing an ironer cord A to the supporting arm I0 adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof. As shown in Fig. 1, the cord A is attached to a conventional electric iron B and is provided at its free end with the usual connector plug C. The cord A is carried by a hook I! having a shank I8 journalled in the upper end portion of the arm ID on an axis parallel to the axis of pivotal movement of said arm II The hook I! is preferably made from resilient material andis of a size to frictionally engage the portion of the cord A carried thereby with surficient pressure to prevent accidental movement of the cord A with respect thereto. A second hook l9 has a shank 20 which is rigidly mounted in the shaft I2 for common pivotal movements therewith. It will be seen by reference to Figs. 8 and 9 the hook I I opens generally upwardly whereas the hook I9 laterally inwardly toward the arm I0 and the link 1. The hock i9 is adapted to snugly grip a portion of the cord A in as'imilar manner to the gripping thereof by the hook I7.

In use, the ironer cord A is mounted in the hooks I] and 1:9 :as indicated in Figs. 1, 5, 8, and 9. Movement of the iron .8 over the ironing board or table 1 toward the end of the board remote from the cord-supporting device will cause the supporting arm ID to be pivotally moved in a downward direction as indicated by dotted .lines in Fig. 1 and against bias of the spring I5. The relative length-of the spring I and the lever arm I3 permits swinging movement of the supporting arm I0 within its extreme limits without causing an excessive variation in tension of the spring I5. Bias of the spring I 5 is sufiicient to raise only the arm I!) and the cord A carried thereby without moving the iron B on the board I. This arrangement enables the operator to move the iron 3 to any point on the board I without the necessity of overcoming an excessive .load .in moving the arm I 8' from its upright full line position of Fig. 1 to the lower dotted line position thereof. Thus the operator is enabled to complete an ironing job without excessive fatigue and without the necessity of moving the ironer cord A out of the path of travel of the iron.

When the ironing operation is finished and it is desired to fold the board I for storage, my improved ironer cord holder may also be folded or collapsed against the board so that need for detachment thereof from the board is unnecessary. To collapse the ironer cord holder, the cord A is first removed from the books I! and I 9, after which the arm I!) and link I are raised to the position shown in Fig. 3. The link I may be then rotated about the axis of the pin 5 to its position of Fig. 4 wherein the inwardly projecting hook I9 engages the top of the ironing board I. The arm I0 is then moved downwardly against bias of the spring I5, the hook l! engaging the bottom surface of the table I. The arm I 9 is sufliciently resilient to permit its bending laterally outwardly to a point where the hook I! may pass the edge of the board I and placed thereunder. Bias of the spring I5 maintains the hook I! in position against the bottom side of the table I until it is again manually removed. there.- from.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the objectives set forth; and while I have shown a commercial embodiment of my improved device it will be understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. 'In a device of the class described, a base member, a rigid link pivotally mounted in said base member, a cord-carrying arm mounted on said link for limited pivotal movements with respect thereto, means yieldingly biasing said arm toward one limit of its pivotal movement with respect to said link, and means for positively locking said link against pivotal movements with respect to said base member.

2. In a device of the class described, a base member, a rigid link pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to said base member, stop means limiting pivotal movements of said link in one direction, a cord-carrying arm mounted on one end portion of said link for pivotal movements with respect thereto, stop means positively limiting pivotal movements of said arm with respect to said link, yielding means biasing said arm toward one limit of its pivotal movement with respect to said link, and means for positively locking said link against pivotal movements with re spect to said base member.

3. In a device of the class described, .a base member, means for clamping said base member to the edge portion of an ironing board, a pair of spaced parallel pins extending laterally :outwardly from one side of said base member, arigid link mounted for compound pivotal and longitudinal sliding movements on one of said pins.

said link having an outwardly opening recess in one edge thereof adapted to receive the other of said pins upon longitudinal sliding movements of said link with respect to said base member, a cord-supporting arm mounted for pivotal movements on said link, stop means positively limiting pivotal movements of said arm, and a tension spring yieldingly biasing said arm toward one limit of its pivotal movement with respect to said link.

4. In a device of the class described, a base member, mean for clamping said base member to the edge portion of an ironing board, a pair of spaced parallel pins extending laterally outwardly from one side of said base member, a rigid link having a central slot extending longitudinally thereof and through which one of said pins projects, said link further having a longitudinally outwardly opening recess in one end thereof "alined with said slot and into which the other of said pins is receivable under longitudinal sliding movements of said link in one direction whereby to prevent pivotal movements thereof with respect to said base, a cord-supporting arm, means mounting said arm to said link for pivotal movements with respect thereto independently of said base, stop mean on said arm engageable with said link to positively limit pivotal movements of said arm, and a tension spring yieldingly biasing said arm toward one limit of its pivotal movement.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 in further combination with a cord-supporting hook projecting laterally outwardly from the free end of said arm and rotatable on an axis transversely thereof, and a second cord-supporting element having a shank extending through the axis of r 5 pivotal movement of said arm and rotatable therewith, said cord-supporting element and hook adaptable to engage an ironer cord and frictionally hold the same against longitudinal movements with respect thereto.

6. In a device of the class described, a base member, means for clamping said base member to the edge of an ironing board, a rigid link carried by said base member, a cord-supporting arm pivotally secured intermediate its ends to said m vertical position, a tension spring connected at 15 one end to the ofiset lower end of said arm and yieldingly biasing said arm against said stop means, and a cord-supporting hook projecting laterally from the upper end of said arm and rotatable on an axi transversely thereof.

WILLIAM AAB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,999,089 Dowden Apr. 23, 1935 2,242,298 Halsey May 20, 1941 2,478,498 Myers Aug. 9, 1949 2,487,585 Pencek Nov. 8, 1949 

